Monthly Archives: August 2013

If you are looking for a wallbed or Murphy Bed in the greater Seattle area, it is pretty easy to find us. The challenge we face in our business, is making ourselves known to folks who DON’T KNOW they are looking for a wallbed! One of our main purposes of blogging is to try to stimulate discussions and get people thinking about how their space is being utilized. Once the evaluation starts, questions and solutions are going to follow.

I love Make: magazine. Their projects are always interesting and they are famous for “hacking.” Hacking is where you take something (i.e. an old TV console) and turn it into something new or more efficient (an aquarium). Last week they presented an over-sized example of a fabulous hack. The town of York, Alabama lacked an outdoor community space. The town had many abandoned houses and overgrown lots. One of these houses was chosen, materials were salvaged to reuse in the rebuild, and a design was picked. They built a new little house, in the same style as the other houses in town but here is the cool part: It UNFOLDS into outdoor seating for 100! Here is the video:

When the seating is not needed, the house folds back up and tucks away!! The lot it sits on, is now a park and enjoyed folks daily. Much more so, than if the seating was taking up the space all the time! This is Economy of Space applied! It is not complicated to operate. The footprint when it is closed vs. when it is opened is about 1:5. It can be used as often or seldom as needed. Wait…are we talking about a Community Center or a wallbed?! Can you see how that way of thinking: breaking down the functions within a set space; can help revise how you see and use your own space?

Another way to look at the Economy of Space is through the actual costs. How much does your home cost to run every month (mortgage+insurance+electricity+repairs+gas…)? Divide that by the square footage of your home. That gives you the “$/sq. foot/ month” ($) value of your space. Now, measure your guest room in square feet (g). Here’s where it gets interesting. Multiply ($) x (g) x 12= the cost of your guest room per year ($Y). NOW, divided that by how many days a year that room is used (U). The cost per day of use will be ($Y)/(U) Let’s say it costs $1.25/sq. foot; and your guest room is 11’x8’ or 88 sq. feet; and there are 12 months in the year; and guests stay there 11 days a year: ($1.25)x(88)x(12)+=($Y)=$1320… $1320/11=$120!

Let me explain that to you: you are spending $1320 a year for a room that is used 11 times. Every time it is used, it costs $120! Now let’s change one thing: the configuration of the room into home office/ reading room. Let’s swap the regular queen sized bed, which takes up a huge part of the real estate of that room, for a wallbed. Set up the office and cozy chair. Now, how often will you use this room? In a year, let’s say 243 days. Our ($Y)/(U) equation now becomes: $1320/243= $5.43!! Doesn’t that make more sense (or cents)?? Welcome to the Economy of Space!

A writer was talking about storing things in their home and wrote this: “…but that got me thinking about how much our space costs us. I figured that we pay approximately $1.65 per square foot per month for our space. This means that if something is taking up 1 square foot of space but it’s value is low, over time we basically lose money because the value of the item taking up the space is worth less than what we pay for the space. Additionally, the more efficiently we can use the space the better value we are getting for our money.” –shannonkay from gspn.tv forum

So there you go- hacking, math and economics! Mr. Z was right! Story problems are everywhere!

Particle board has gotten a bad rap over the years and is commonly thought of as sub-par or inferior to “real wood.” Guess what particle board is made of…..ready?….Real Wood!

Particle board is maybe from the byproducts of wood used in the timber industry. It is shredded and dried then mixed with adhesives. This mixture is rolled out and pressed under great force and heat into long sheets of standard thicknesses. The sheets are cut to length then stacked and ready to be used. In the past, formaldehyde was a key ingredient in the adhesive but that is no longer the case.

Particle Board Examples

The pressing of the material is varied to create different densities of material. Think about those Space Bags which are used for storing clothes. Put a sweater in one and seal it up. Measure the thickness and feel how floppy the bag is. Now, open it up and fill it with 4 more sweaters. Vacuum the air out until it is as thick as the bag with one regular sweater. As you pull the air out, the sweaters compress and the contents become denser. Pick it up now. It is the same thickness as the other, but I bet it is not as floppy as the uncompressed single sweater. The same goes for particle board. We use a grade which is denser than regular-use material. This makes for a stronger wallbed cabinet for our customers.

After the particle board is ready it is covered, repressed and heated with decorative papers and come out looking like a whole forest of wood varieties. Or they can be solid colors, patterned… the possibilities are endless! These finished boards handle a lot of wear and clean up easily with mild soap and water.

Many advances have been made across the industry to insure the product is durable and safe. We use products which have been certified by FSC- The Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC, ”sets standards for responsible forest management. A voluntary program, FSC uses the power of the marketplace to protect forests for future generations.” (https://us.fsc.org/index.htm)

Many of our wallbeds are used primarily as guest beds. I am sure this comes as no surprise! This blog is about completing the comfort for your friends and family.

For some reason, when I take a break or go on vacation, I tend to read more. I’m not sure why that is, but I know I am not alone. There is something special about choosing the right book for a getaway.

Vertical Wallbed with LED Reading Lights

Many times while visiting, sleep schedules between hosts and guests don’t match. Their bedtime may be earlier than yours, and you don’t want to linger in the living room by yourself. Your generous hosts have installed a lovely wallbed and picked a comfy mattress so you can relax while visiting them. Time to head to your home-away-from-home and crawl under the covers. This is the best time to read!

Your thoughtful host has made sure you can do this comfortably by adding one special detail: LED Lights. They offer the right amount of warm light to your book, tablet or Kindle and being LEDs, hardly use any power at all.

We use a low voltage system that is very simple and discreet. All the wires are hidden and the power comes from a simple wall outlet. No need to call an electrician! The wireless switch is attached to the inside wall of the bed cabinet and is on or off with the simple touch of a button. Should you forget to turn off the lights before closing the bed, LEDs won’t cause a fire! They stay cool to the touch and are very safe. The other wonderful thing about LEDs is the long lifespan of the diodes! Unlike traditional light bulbs which will burn out at the worst time, LEDs last for tens of thousands of hours!

So grab a book, get comfy and enjoy the world it brings you to! In the morning, don’t forget to thank your awesome host for their thoughtfulness. Maybe next year they will make coffee the way YOU like it…but for now, life is good!

Are there such things as wallbeds for dogs and cats? Yes there are! Unfortunately, we don’t make them (at this time) but here is a place where you can find them. Or you can even build your own with directions found here.

The subject of cat and dogs is close to our hearts here at the Great American Wallbed Co. If you ever stop by to check out of selection of wallbeds, one special helper will gladly show you how to relax on top of the covers or sometimes UNDER the covers. Kitty has been helping us demonstrate our beds for about 5 years now. She is part Maine Coon and is not a tiny cat. Kitty’s early years are a secret but five years ago she was adopted by our fearless leader, Robert, and has been greeting folks ever since.

Thanks for Adopting!

One day Robert decided he wanted a cat. Robert’s wife, Heidi, was not as keen on the idea. A short while later, Robert visited a locksmith who happened to have a ‘shop cat’ and he figured he could do the same! He went out to Homeward Bound, in Woodinville, WA, and was taken by a huge fluffball who had been passed over by many others. She was too big, all grown up, not a wee little kitten… But when she brushed up against his leg, that was all it took. Kitty had a new home.

She greets us when we arrive each day, plays with her toys and keeps us company when we work late. She does have a feisty side- woe to you if you are petting her and dare to stop! The high point of her day is when the mail arrives. Bonnie, the mail carrier brings her treats and gives her a scratch or two. Sad is the day when someone other than Bonnie is driving the truck and there aren’t any treats. She looks at them with undisguised disdain. They are driving the truck and bringing the mail- therefore the treats should be there as well!

The rescues and shelters of FULL of special critters just like Kitty who would love to keep you company. Please take an afternoon and find yourself a buddy.

Once upon a time, Murphy Beds used to be built into apartments, just like ceiling light fixtures, radiators and the kitchen sink. That was when space was a premium. People had to be creative if they wanted a place to sleep and a place to socialize. There were several variations and many even pivoted! If you have ever visited an apartment from the 1930’s you may have seen a large brass ring in the floor and in the ceiling. These were leftover hardware from the pivoting beds. Many times they had wardrobes hanging from the back. A catalog from 1925 can be found here. The drawings are WONDERFUL!

Closet Murphy Bed

Along the way, people wanted more space and walled-in bedrooms became the norm. Then the thinking continued- if there is a bed, it must be in its own room, and that room must just be for the bed. As people spread out and built bigger homes that seemed to work. We became accustomed to having single purpose rooms and eventually had rooms that were only used a few times a year. The problem became obvious when people started to economize and realized that while they only used the room a few days a year, they paid for it EVERY DAY! with heating, mortgage, cleaning… What to do!?

RE-ENTER the Murphy Bed. Instead needing to move because you want a home office and a guest room and place to work out, make your investment work for you! You already have the space in that lonely guest room. Install a wallbed, add a built-in desk to the corner, and bring in the treadmill! The closet can be used for storing weights, office supplies and bedding. You may have to push a couple things to the side when folks come to visit, but when they leave again, you have room to work!

The story told by Murphy wallbeds is this: Be practical. Multi-use is smarter than single purpose. What’s old is new again. Even the Wall Street Journal thinks so!

Does investing in a Murphy Wallbed make sense when grads must live with their parents? Is your college graduate returning without a job yet, and need a place to stay? A wallbed can be the solution to your (hopefully!) temporary problem.

Today’s headline reads that 21 million, (that is: 21 x 1,000 x 1,000!!!) children between the ages of 18 and 31 live at home with their parents. You may be one such parent. (August 2013)

Home sweet home!

Most likely a returning son or daughter might find his/her room converted into an office or re-done in some fashion to suit your practical needs. A standard room with even a twin bed might be hopelessly small when piled up with suitcases and boxes full of books and your offspring’s personal belongings.

Why not exchange the old bed for a Murphy wallbed? Add a desktop and a cabinet or file drawer while you’re at it?

However, whether you choose Horizontal or Vertical Platform wall unit or go for a Library bed, your family will whole-heartedly embrace you for being proactive! Your insight brings satisfaction and keeps both order and harmony in the family!

The day will come when your son or daughter lands that job and moves into his/her own domain. The wallbed can move, too, and whatever cabinetry as well! It gives them a head start on furnishing their living space! In addition, it gives you an opportunity to find a new use for the abandoned room. Maybe get another wallbed?

And for friends who read and bring a printed copy of this blog to The Great American Wallbed Co., they will receive $ 100.00 in-house discount! We care!

This will be a short blog about WHY. Have you ever been warned about asking “why questions?” Do you know why? Yeah, you may get an answer you don’t want to hear…

So, why would you buy from us and from nobody else? Well, I wish you could access the exuberant responses from hundreds of satisfied customers from our time at the Special Events/Road Shows, (you know what I’m referring to?)

not only do we offer just what a slew of other wall bed companies offer

not only do we make Murphy and Panel wallbeds, Vertical and Horizontal, like everyone else (See this blog)

not only do we offer cabinets, desks and fold-out tables like the rest of ‘em

Time is here for getting settled into Student Living. You made the grade, the college accepted you, and you’re packin’.

Great!

Universities and Colleges are not easy streets. Lots of study time is required of you to make the grades. The competition is tough out there. Only the most disciplined students land accolades (that is French for tributes, praises, honors, awards, compliments, rave reviews) that will impress hiring staff, head hunters, and the like. The rest can count on spending time with McD’s or as baristas (NO, that is NOT the same as barristers, check it out.)

My point is this: a responsible student needs good sleep. Not necessarily a lot of sleep, but when in bed, “sound sleep” is what counts. Our Student Wallbed gives you that! It has been tested under the most emotionally stressful situations, (I’m not at liberty to reveal where at this time.) We have testimonies from a variety of grateful people of how incredibly comfortable thiswallbed model is!

One great advantage with our Student Wallbed is the narrower footprint. It handles surprisingly well. We include the mattress, which is of superior quality and designed especially to alleviate stress. Add a fold-out table on the front panel of the Vertical model, and you have a desk. The top of the Horizontal bed cabinet can serve as a utility shelf for a monitor, pens, pencil holders, books, etc.

And the bonus is more floor space for throwing your clothes, backpack and bike!

Your Student Wallbed is a winner all around! “Now You See It. Now You Don’t!”